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Wii HD coming in 2010, claims mole

Netflix-for-Wii too

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A seemingly well-connected gaming executive claims to have discovered that Nintendo will launch its long-rumoured HD Wii next year, in addition to a Netflix-for-Wii film and TV streaming service.

Dan Rayburn – self-styled “voice for the streaming and online video industry” and Executive VP of streamingmedia.com – said on his blog that “Nintendo is also considering holding off on the Netflix service until the release their next generation Wii HD unit in early 2010”.

Rayburn hasn’t revealed his source, but analysts have long predicted the possibility of an HD Wii.

For example, Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Morgan, predicted back in May that Nintendo will launch the Wii HD at some point in 2010.

Nintendo has never confirmed the HD Wii’s existence, of course, but “multiple sources in the game development and publishing community” claimed in October last year that the firm had already begun showing off a second-generation Wii.

As far as a Netflix-for-Wii service goes, Rayburn added that “someone involved in the project has confirmed that Nintendo is currently in testing stages with Netflix to bring their streaming service to the Wii very soon”.

Sony has already signed a deal with Netflix to bring its film and TV show streaming service to the PlayStation 3 across North America, so a similar deal with Nintendo wouldn't be entirely unexpected. ®